THIS WEEK AT THE STABLES: WITH URIAH HEEP, STORNOWAY, COCO AND THE BUTTERFIELDS AND MORE

As ever. The Stables has a packed week of musical marvels for you, beginning on Thursday (April 30) with Uriah Heep.

In the late 60's and early 70's, there were four pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal - Sabbath, Zeppelin, Purple and the Heep.

Since those early days, the Mick Box fronted troupe have shifted 23 studio albums, and sold in excess of 40 million units.

They have headlined festivals worldwide and were the first Western rock band to perform in Russia.

Current album Outside has continued the positivity, with Classic Rock magazine declaring Outsider is 'like a musical blood transfusion.'

"...we're very excited to be able to bring our current show to the UK, where it all began," MIck said.

"In the last year we've played concerts in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, USA, Australia and New Zealand, plus a Caribbean Rock Cruise alongside Alice Cooper, Doobie Brothers, Blue Oyster Cult and many more.

"We're very proud of our history, so the shows will feature a mixture of classic Heep along with some new songs from Outsider."

All tickets to see Midge Ure at play on Friday (May 1) are a long time sold-out, but Glenn and Friends are still booking on Saturday (May 2).

Barisons Swing Band are bringing their new Glenn Miller show to the stage, with close harmony group The Three Belles, who will be paying tribute to the much-loved Andrew Sisters.

Over on Stage 2, Paolo Morena will lead the way with his live-looping approach to performance, and an astonishing  talent for catchy, beautiful crafted songs making for quite the show.

Panic Room are in control on Sunday (May 3).

The British music press have received rave reviews for their current album Incarnate, and this double-gig format give you the best of both worlds, with acoustic and electric sets ready to roll from 8pm.

The pretty sounding CoCo and the Butterfields will deliver the goods on Stage 2.

They began their musical journey as a humble folk trio in 2011, and are now more accurately described as a five-strong major force on the music scene with their fusion of folk, pop and hip hop.

Their fans call it Fip Fok, just so as you know.

MPMG Stornoway Bonxie Approved shot

Oxford's alt-indie-folk mob Stornoway (above) will be sitting ducks at the haunt on Monday night (May 4).

The band has just released its third album, Bonxie, which is named after the Hebridean Sea Bird.

And the bird references continue to fly with these guys - they have a passion for wildlife and birds.  You don't need to search for long to find it - 20 different species of bird calls have been recorded into the album.

Mind you, front man Brian Briggs is trained as a Dr of Ornithology, which explains a lot.

Jack Dee's Help Desk is all sold-out on Tuesday evening (May 5), which is hardly surprising - we need a jolly good laugh, don't we?

Stage 2 has  a treat in store for jazz fans though,with pianist and composer Kate Williams taking care of business.

Kate - recipient of the John Dankworth Award for Talent Deserving Wider Recognition  - will play piece from her current CD Atlas of Vulcana.

Last up this week, Wednesday's one woman play with music, whattalife! which tells the story of one of Britain's phenomenal women of the 20th century.

Lucy Stevens will be Kathleen Ferrier in the first dramatisation of her life, from her debut as a singer in 1940, her meteoric rise and her tragic death, in 1953.

To make a booking for any of the aforementioned visit www.stables.org